Needle bar for flat knitting machines



Sept. 17. 1940. A. IERBEEK NEEDLE BAR FOR FLAT KNITTING MACHINES 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 5, 1958 kgwiy I INVENTOR BYK/ifiO/d ATToRNEY1940- AVERBEEK 2,215,090

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Patented Sept. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NEEDLE BAR FOR FLATKNITTING MACHINES Arnold Verbeek, Wustenbrand in Saxony, Germany,assignor to Kalio, Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application March 5, 1938, Serial No. 194,060 In Germany April 12, 193719 Claims.

1 in the manner particularly shown and described in co-pendingapplication Serial No. 99,830, filed September 8, 1936.

In the simplest type'of my invention/there are usually provided two setsof needles arranged 15 in three groups on a unitary needle bar, one set,

constituting two groups, being adapted to knit the heel tabs onto theleg fabric of the single unit stocking blank, and the other set, formingthe third group, being non-knitting needles and serving to retain theedge loops of the sole sections for their transfer in order to becomeinterknit with the inner selvedges of the heel tabs.

Heretofore, considerable difliculty has been experienced in theretention of the edge loops of the foot section on the'non-knittingneedles, particularly due to the problems which the knocking-over andpressing-off operations present. Since, as vhereinbefore stated, the twosets of needles are mounted on one and the same needle bar, thenon-knitting needles follow the various movements of the knittingneedles, with the result that the loops intended to be held by saidnon-knitting needles oftentimes ,drop or break off because of accidentalpress-off or because of the wear on the yarn due to the force with whichthe loops are repeatedly drawn against the knockover bits.

The present invention, therefore, primarily aims to eliminate theinconveniences particularly referred to and has for one of its mainobjects the provision of non-knitting needles having a characteristicconstruction with respect to the knitting needles, whereby, duringoperation of the latter, the non-knitting needles will effective- 5' lyretain the loops in engagement therewith, prevent their forced contactwith the parts of the loop-forming mechanism, and yet permit theirproper transfer.

Heretofore, in the production of single unit stockings having the heeltab selvedge edges interknitted with the sole sections, the knittingneedles andthe non-knitting needles were the same length and, as aresult, the loops of the sole fabric during the transferring thereofwere forcibly moved into contact with the knockover bits, causing wearand damage, as well as breakage, of the sole loops. Therefore, it is animportant object of the present invention to arrange the hook portionsof the non-knitting needles in a higher plane than the hook portions 5of the knitting needles so that the knockover bits may properlycofunction with the hook portions of the knitting needles but will notforcibly contact the loops engaged by the hook portions of thenon-knitting needles due to the higher elevation of the latter.

The invention is characterized especially by the provision ofnon-knitting needles having short hook ends adapted for engagement withthe loops but so disposed that in the inward movement of the needle bar,the presser edge of the knitting machine will be cleared, thuspreventing the loops from being cast off and, further, having anelongated shank so that during the downward movement of the needle bar,the loops will not be subjected to a detrimental pull upon the knockoverbits.

Other important objects and advantages of the invention will be in partobvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. In order that the inventionand its mode of operation may be readily understood by those skilled inthe art, I have inthe accompanying drawings andin the detaileddescription based thereupon, set out a possible embodiment of theinvention.

In these drawings? Figure 1 is a face elevation of the lower portion ofa single unit stocking blank of the type shown and described inco-pending application hereinbefore identified.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating the blank with theheel tabs added thereto.

Figure 3 is an enlarged diagrammatic representation of the loopformation of the left heel. 40'

side of the blank at the juncture of the high heel and sole sectionthereof.

Figure 4 diagrammatically illustrates the last course of one of the highheels and the first course of the adjoining sole section of the blanktopped on the two sets of needles subsequent to the knitting of the heeltabs.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a needle bar with the needles arrangedthereon in accordance with the invention.

Figure 6 is an end view of Figure 5. Figure 7 is a cross section takenon line of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a front elevation on an enlarged scale of one of thenon-knitting needles.

and heel tab during the knitting and joining of the left heel tab.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, wherein likecharacters .of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout,I have shown in Figure 1 a full-fashioned single unit stocking blank Icomprising the leg fabric 2, instep fabric 3, high heel sections 6, solesections 5, and'toe 6. the sole sections 5 being knitted to formcontinuations of the high heel sections 4.

In accordance with the usual practice, in the knitting of full-fashionedstockingblanks of this description, a reinforcing yarn is employed inthe knitting of the high heel sections 4, sole sections 5, and the toe6. In order to provide a line of demarcation between the adjacent highheel sections and sole sections which are later to be separated, topermit the insertion of the heel tabs 8, short non-reinforced courses 9are suitably knitted to extend for a width substantially equal to thewidth of the heel tabs 8 subsequently added.

When preparing the blank I for the addition of the heel tabs, the loopsl0 (Figure 3) of the last reinforced course H of each high heel section4 and the loops l2 of the first reinforced course I3 of each solesection 5 are topped onto the needles M of a hinged topping bar, such asshown in the Dietrich Patent No. 1,998,361. .The non-reinforced courses9 are then severed to separate the high heel sections 4 and solesections 5 so that the loops ill of the high heel section 4 and theloops l2 of the sole section 5 may be transferred to the needles of astraight needle bar of a fiat knitting machine, as indicated in Figure4, and as described and shown in the copending application aforesaid.

The heel tabs 8 are then knitted by means of a feeding yarn as acontinuation of the last course of loops ID of the high heel sections 4,no knitting being produced during heel knitting on the first course ofloops I2 of the sole sections.

According to the present invention, the needle bar I5 (Figure 5) hasmounted thereon a set of knitting needles I6 and a set of non-knittingneedles H. The knitting needles l6, which are of the usual known springbeard construction, are arranged in two groups, one group being disposedat each'end portion of the needle bar I5 for engagement with the loopsI0 of the left and right high heel section 4, and 'the set ofnon-knitting needles which have a special construction, is arrangedbetween the two end groups of knitting needles and adapted to engage theloops l2 of the sole sections 5.

As more clearly shown in Figures 8 and 9, the improved non-knittingneedles I! each consists of a shank I8 terminating at one end into abutt 19 for engagement with holes in-the needle bar, and at the otherend with a head terminating into a short book 20 engageable with theloops for preventing the same from slipping off the needle shank. Theportion 2| of the shank immediately adjacent the hook 20 is formed withan eye 22 adapted to receive the tip of an ordinary transfer point forlifting the loop and transferring it in the manner and for the purposeto be presently described. 1

It is pointed out, and it will clearly appear from Figures 6, '7, and10, that the shanks 18 of the non-knitting needles IT, as compared withthe shanks of the knitting needles 16, are longer so thatthe hooks ofthe former project for a short distance above the hooks of the latter,as indicated at A. v

The sets of needles l6 and I1 respectively, being in engagement withtheir corresponding loops in themanner hereinbefore stated, the knittingof the heel tabs 8 is carried out.

After the knitting of each succeeding heel course 25 (Figure 11), theloops l2 held on the non-knitting needles II, are transferred so thatthe adjoining loops of each course of the sole section 5 aresuccessively transferred to the inner selvedge needle 6a, of theknitting group forming the heel tabs 8. The knitting of the heel tabscontinues until all of the loops i2 held by the non-knitting needles IIhave been transferred, thus causing the loops I2 of the first course I3of each sole section 5 to be interknitted with the inner selvedge 21 ofthe heel tabs. During the knitting of the heel tabs, as above described,the usual narrowings 28 (Figure 2) are worked therein, the heel tabsbeing finished off by the knitting of the usual loose ravel courses 29to form the finished blank. e

Because of the provision of the short hook 20 on each non-knittingneedle II, it will be appreciated that when the needle bar descendsduring the knitting movements, in order that the knitted,

loops 30 (Figure 11) of the heel tabs 8, may be cast oif, the loops l2of the sole sections in engagement with the non -knitting needles I!will be prevented from slipping off the needle shank l8. Furthermore, byreason of the elongated shank 'of the non-knitting needles II, the loopsI2 in engagement therewith will not be drawn forcibly against theknockover bits 31 (Figures 6 and 7) during the knockover movement and,accordingly, prevent any undue strain or wear on the loops retained onsaid non-knitting needles. Likewise, during the press-off movement ofthe needle bar, the non-knitting needles, due to their short hooks andalso because of the elongated;

shanks, will clear the usual presser bar 32 of the knitting machine,thus eliminating the possibility of accidental press-off. However, theprovision of the short hook on each non-knitting needle does not preventproper engagement of the transfer point with the. eye of saidnon-knitting needle since said short hook will enter the groove of thecorresponding. transfer point allowing the latterto engage the loop forits transfer in the usual manner.

In concluding, attention is called to the fact that theembodiment shownand described herein as a'specific example may vary without departingfrom the general principle of the invention. Ac-

cordingly, any modification coming within the scope of the subjoinedclaims is regarded as being within the scope of. the invention.

What I claim is: V

1. In a straight needle bar fitted with en masse operating needles,certain of said needles being of the flexible hook or ordinary springbeard type and others being of the rigid open hook type.

2. In a straight needle bar fitted with en masse operating needles,certain of said needles being of the flexible hook or ordinary springbeard type and others being of the rigid open hook type, both typeshaving grooved eyes formed in their'shanks to receive ordinary narrowingpoints.

3. In a straight needle barifltted with en masse operating needles,certain of said needles being of the flexible hook or ordinary springbeard type and others being of the rigid open hook type, both typeshaving grooved eyes formed in their shanks to receive ordinary narrowingpoints, the open rigid hooked needles being somewhat longer than thebearded type.

4. In a straight needle bar fitted with en masse operating needlesarranged in adjacent groups, the needles in certain groups being of theflexible hook or ordinary spring beard type and the needles in othergroups being of the-rigid open hook type.

5. In a straight needle bar fitted with en masse operating needlesarranged in a central group and side groups, the needles in the centralgroup having rigid open hook heads, and the needles in the side groupshaving flexible hook or ordinary spring beard heads.

6. In a straight needle bar fitted with en masse operating needlesarranged in a central group and side groups, the needles in the centralgroup having rigid open hook heads, and the needles in the side groupshaving flexible hook or ordinary spring beard heads, the headsof theneedles in the central group projecting above the heads of the needlesin the side groups.

7. In a straight needle bar fitted with en masse operating needlesarranged in a central group and side groups, the needles in the centralgroup having rigid open hookheads, and the needles in the side groupshaving flexible hook or ordinary spring beard heads, the heads of theneedles in the central group projecting above the heads of the needlesin the side groups, all the needles being formed with grooved eyes forthe later engagement with narrowing implements.

8. In a needle bar for fiat knitting machines of the characterdescribed, a straight needle bar of the unitary type, a set of knittingneedles and a set of non-knitting needles arranged in said bar, saidnon-knitting needles projecting for a distance above the heads of theknitting needles.

9. In a needle bar for fiat knitting machines of the characterdescribed, a set of knitting needles and a set of non-knitting needles,said knitting and non-knitting needles terminating with a loop engaginghook, said non-knitting needles projecting for a distance above theheads of the knitting needles and having their hooks shorter than thoseof said knitting needles.

10. In a needle bar for flat knitting machines of the characterdescribed provided with transfer points, a straight needle bar of theunitary type, a set of knitting needles and a set of non-knittingneedles arranged in said bar, said non-knitting needles projecting for adistance above the heads of the knitting needles, and means formed insaid non-knitting needles for cooperation with the transfer points ofthe knitting machine during the function thereof.

11. In a needle bar for fiat knitting machines of the characterdescribed provided with transfer points, a set of knitting needles and aset of nonknitting needles, each of said knitting and nonknittingneedles terminating with a loop engaging hook, said non-knitting needlesprojecting for a distance above the heads of the knitting needles andhaving their hooks shorter than those of the knitting needles, and meansformed in said nonknitting needles immediately adjacent the short hooksthereof for cooperation with the transfer points of the knitting machineduring the function thereof.

12. In combination, a straight needle bar of the unitary type, a set ofknitting needles, and a set of non-knitting needles, said knittingneedles being arranged in two groups, one group being disposed at eachend portion of the needle bar, and said set of non-knitting needlesbeing arranged in one group on the needle bar and disposed between thetwo end groups of knitting needles, said non-knitting needles projectingfor a predetermined distance above the heads of the knitting needles.

13. In combination, a straight needle bar, a set I of knitting needles,and a set of non-knitting needles, said knitting needles being arrangedin two groups, one group being disposed at each end portion of theneedle bar, each of said knitting and non-knitting needles terminatingwith a loop engaging hook, said non-knitting needles projecting for adistance above the heads of the set of knitting needles, and havingtheir hooks shorter than those of the knitting needles.

14. In combination, a straight needle bar, a set of transfer points,'aset of knitting needles, and a set of non-knitting needles, saidknitting needles being arranged in two groups, one group being disposedat each end portion of the needle bar,

each of said knitting and non-knitting needles engaging hook, saidnon-knitting needles having their shanks longer and their hooks shorterthan those of the knitting needles whereby to retain loops in engagementwith said non-knitting needles by clearing the presser edge of theknitting machine during the press-ofl operation of the knitting needles.

16. In a knitting machine of the character described, including apresser bar and knockover bits: a needle bar provided with knittingneedles and non-knitting needles, each knitting and non knitting needlehaving a shank terminating into a loop engaging hook, said non-knittingneedles having their shanks longer and their hooks shorter than those ofthe knitting needles whereby to retain loops in engagement with thenonknitting needles by clearing said presser barv during the press-oil?operation of the knitting needles to prevent said loops from beingforced into contact with the corresponding knockover bits during thecast-off operation of the knitting needles.

17. In a knitting machine of the character described including a presserbar, knockover bits, and transfer points:' a needle bar provided withknitting needles and non-knittingneedles, each of said knitting andnon-knitting needles having a shank terminating into a loop engaginghook, said non-knitting needles having their shanks longer and theirbooks shorter than those of the knitting needles whereby to retain loopsin engagement with the non-knitting needles by clearing said presser barduring the press-off operation of the knitting needles, and to preventsaid loops from being forced between the knockover bits during thecast-off operation of the knitting needles; each non-knitting needlehaving an eye formed in the portion immediately adjacent the transferpoints of the knitting machine whereby the loop on said non-knittingneedle may be transferred by the associated'point.

18. In a fiat knitting machine, the combination of a set of knockoverbits, a flat needle bar of the unitary type,- a set of knitting needlescarried thereby, and a set of non-knitting needles carried by said barand associated with the knitting needles, said set of non-knittingneedles and said set of knitting needles being relatively of a lengththat the knitting needles are capable of drawing the loops between theknockover bits and said non-knitting needles are incapable of drawingthe loops between the knockover bits.

19. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, in combination, a presser bar,a set of knockover bits, a straight needle bar of the unitary type, arow of knitting needles and a row of non-knitting needles carried bysaid bar for bringing the knitting and non-knitting needles adjacent thepresser bar by moving said needles to a position between the knockoverbits, all of the heads of the row of non-knitting needles being arrangedin a higher plane than the plane of the heads of the knitting needles sothat the heads of the knitting needles may perform knitting operationsthrough their cooperation with the presser edge and knockover bits, butthe heads of the non-knitting needles are prevented from contacting thepresser edge and from drawing loops into operative relationship withsaid knockover bits and, therefore, incapable of performing knittingoperations.

ARNOLD VERBEEK.

